Cloth support means for cloth spreader machine



March 16, 1965 R. MCDOWELL CLQTH SUPPORT MEANS FOR CLOTH SPREADER MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 10, 1961 Ow vb INVENTOR. ROBERT LEE M DOWELL ATTORNEYS March 16, 1965 R. L. M DOWELL 3,173,578

CLOTH SUPPORT MEANS FOR CLOTH SPREADER MACHINE Filed Aug. 10, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 O 94 IE I [Er--4:

I 72 Myrna 74 Erna--3- 7s INVENTOR.

84 t 84 ROBERT LEE MCDOWELL so 5 Wrid ATTORNEYS 3,173,678 CLGTH SWPQRT MEANS FUR @LGTH SEREADER MACHINE Robert L. McDowell, 15S (Ilara St., San Francisco, ilalif. Filed Aug. ill, 1%1, Ser. No. 139,683 6 Claims. (@l. 27 6-31) This invention relates to cloth spreading apparatus and more particularly to apparatus for forming a flat pile of a plurality of very long pieces of cloth.

In the large volume manufacture of garments and the like it is customary to form a fiat pile of a plurality of very long pieces of cloth from which components of garments may be cut. Where a large number of pieces of cloth are spread into such a pile, a correspondingly large number of identical components may be cut from the pile simultaneously, thus providing substantial savings in time and labor in the preparation of components for subsequent assembly into finished garments. Similarly, where the length of the pile is quite large, substantial time and labor may be saved in preparing the pile for the cutting operation.

Such piles of cloth have been prepared heretofore by providing a flat table with a movable frame supported on its upper surface by rollers which roll along the edges of the table. A bolt of cloth is supported on the frame and unrolled as the frame is moved along the length of the table. While apparatus of this type has been useful to some extent, it has involved many disadvantages in use. For example, the excessive weight of the rolling frame especially when it is loaded deforms the table to such an extent that in time the cloth piles produced are not flat and the cloth components cut from the piles are not sufiiciently identical to permit eificient production of garments; excessive manual manipulation of the heavy bolts of cloth is required; etc.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide apparatus with which substantially identical components for garments and the like can be prepared as efiiciently as possible.

It is another object of the invention to provide such a cloth spreader with which successive layers of cloth may be spread on each other as accurately as possible to provide a perfectly smooth and fiat pile of cloth with sub stantially vertical edges.

It is another object of the invention to provide such a cloth spreader which is particularly well suited for spreading one-sided fabrics where a bolt of cloth must be turned around end-tor-end when it is unrolled in opposite directions over the pile.

it is another object or" the invention to provide such a cloth spreader which may be used for long period of time and may be left unattended for long periods of time even with heavy loads thereon without impairing the accuracy of the apparatus.

It is another obiect of the invention to provide such apparatus which may be used as easily as possible and with as little manual effort as possible.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description read in conjunction with the attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in end elevation of cloth spreading apparatus constructed in accordance with this invention; FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view in side elevation of the apparatus; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a fragment of the apparatus taken along the plane and in the direction indicated at 4-4 in FIG. 1.

The cloth spreading apparatus is designed for use in a work room having a door and a structurally sound ceiling.

3,l73,5? Patented Mar. E6, 1965 The apparatus comprises a long flat table It) supported on the floor and a pair of tracks 12 supported on the ceiling by brackets 1 (see FIG. 1), with the tracks extending substantially parallel to each other and parallel to the length of the table; a traveling frame 16 is supported on the tracks 12 by means of wheels 18 which are received in the tracks 12 and are mounted on axles 20 which are in turn supported on the traveling frame 16 by journals 22.

A main support member 24 is mounted on the traveling frame 16 in depending r lation therefrom by four pairs of plates 26 with each plate of each pair having their adjacent ends pivotally connected by hinges 28 and with their remote ends pivotally connected to the traveling frame 16 and the support member 24 by hinges 30 and 32 respectively. A pair of cables 34 are attached to the support member 24 by eyelets 36 with the cables 34 extending through apertures in the traveling frame 16 thence over pulleys 33 to an electrically driven winch 40 mounted on the top of the frame 1d. The winch 4% is powered by a conventional two-directional motor provided with a brake to lock the motor in position when it is not driven in either direction. Control means are connected to the motor 4% by means not shown, the control means comprising an upand down-selector switch 42 and a startstop switch 44 connected thereto with the two switches being mounted on the traveling frame 15 adjacent to one side of the table ll This arrangement for suspending the support member 24 below the frame 16 permits free adjustment of the vertical position of the support member 24 above the table it? while at the same time preventing any substantial rotation of the support member 24 about a vertical axis.

A rectangular channel member 46 is rotatably mounted on the support member 24 by means of a pivot pin 48 and a turntable bearing 59. A latching pin 52 is reciprocally mounted in the support member 24 and is manipulated by a latching handle 54, with the pin 52 movable into either one of two notches 56 (see PEG. 4) in opposite ends of the channel member 46 to lock the channel member 46 in alternate positions with the channel member 46 extending perpendicular to the tracks 12 with the channel member 46 reversed end-tor-end in the two positions.

An arm 58 having a square cross section is mounted in the channel member 4s by horizontal bearing rollers 69 and vertical bearing rollers d2. As best seen in FIG. 4, the rollers 5i? and d2 permit free movement of the arm 58 longitudinally of the channel member 46 while preventing rotation of the arm 5% with respect to the channel member A pair of hooks 64 and i6 are provided with square recesses in their upper ends which receive the arm 58 and are attached thereto by screws as. T he hooks 64 and 66 are provided with open sides '78 (see FIG. 3) into which an elongated rod '72 may be inserted with the rod l2 supported in the hooks for free rotation by means of roller bearings 74. The roller bearings 74 are conveniently attached to the hooks did and 66 by means of screws passing through the bearings and received in tapped holes in the hooks (s4 and 6 5. A large bolt of cloth '76 (see FIG. l) is supported on the rod 72, the bolt of cloth 75 being of generally cylindrical shape with its axis parallel to the arm 58 so that the bolt of cloth '76 is maintained substantially perpendicular to the tracks 12 when the latching pin 52 is engaged with the channel member 46.

A pair of brackets 73 are pivotally mounted on the lower ends of the hooks 64 and 66 by means of pivot pins 8%, and a removable locking pin 32 interconnects the hook 64 and one of the brackets '78 about the pivot pin 80. A pair of elongated feeder rollers 84 extend between the brackets 78 defining a feeder passageway therebetween through which cloth passes from the bolt 76 as best seen in FIG. 3.

The construction of the elements in this manner prevents swinging of the heavy bolt of cloth 76 in the manner of a pendulum when motion of the traveling frame 16 is started and stopped. 7

Movement of the bolt of cloth 76 over the table 10 to cause spreading of cloth on the table is efiected by means of a two-directional electric motor 86 mounted on the traveling frame 16 and connected to one of the aides 20 by means of a belt 88 and speed selection pulleys 90. The operation of the drive motor 36 is controlled by a forwardand-reverse switch 92 mounted on the traveling frame 16 adjacent to the switches 42 and 44 and a start-stop switch 94 connected to the forward-and-reverse switch 9 2 by a flexible cable 96. A magnet (not shown) is attached to the start-stop switch 94 to permit simple attachment and detachment of the switch 94 on one of the hooks 64 and 66.

When the apparatus shown herein is to be employed for spreading cloth on the table, the latching pin 82 is removed and the brackets 78 are pivoted from their vertical position to a generally horizontal position thereby permitting the hooks 64 and 66 to' be lowered by the hoist 40 to a sufficient extent that the rod '72 received in a heavy bolt of cloth may be inserted in the open sides 76 of the hooks without lifting the bolt of cloth. The hooks 64 and 66 and the bolt of cloth '76 are then lifted by the hoist 40; the brackets 78 are returned to their vertical position and the pin 82 is inserted. The free end of the cloth on the bolt 76 is then threaded through the aperture between rollers 84 and the traveling frame 16 is moved to. one end of the table 16 by operation of the drive motor 86.

With the apparatus thus positioned at one end of the cloth. While the operator of the device manipulates the yoke to position the cloth, he has one hand on the startstop switch 94 and the other hand free to smooth the cloth on the table.

It will be seen that this apparatus provides for the production of the desired pile of cloth with the layers of cloth in the pile spread very smoothly and positioned exactly one on top of the other. Additionally, the apparatus eliminates all need for manual handling of the heavy bolts of cloth, and the weight of the bolt of cloth and its supporting apparatus is removed from the table so that the table is not subjected to loads which could deform its flat surface.

While one specific embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described in detail herein, it is obvious that many modifications of the apparatus shown may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

port member, ,means connecting said support member to said frame in depending relation from said frame with said means including adjusting means for raising and lowering said support member above said table as said 7 frame moves along said tracks, bracket means attached table, the latching pin 52 may be withdrawn and the 7 bolt of cloth 76 may be rotated about pin 48 and the latching pin 52 relatched so that subsequent operation of the apparatus will spread the cloth on the table with the pattern side of the cloth facing upwardly. When the latching pin 52 is withdrawn and the bolt of cloth and its supporting brackets rotated, the start-stop switch M is removed from the hook 64, for instance, and reattached to the hook 66 so that the operator of the device may remain on the same side of the table and manipulate the apparatus as indicated hereinafter.

When it is desired to start spreading cloth on the table the hoist is operated to lower the rollers 84 to a position slightly above the surface of the table 10, or

slightly above the top layer of cloth on a pile then on the table. The operator of the device then places his hand on the start-stop switch 64 and the hook 64 or 66 to which it is attached and moves the hook 64 or 66 in a direction perpendicular to the length of the table until the edge of the cloth is properly positioned on the table exactly on top of the edges of cloth layers already spread upon the table. The operator then presses the start switch 94 to start movement of the traveling frame 16 along the tracks 12 and continues to adjust the position of the edge of the cloth as described while the traveling frame 16 moves along the length of the table. When the bolt to said support member for suspending a bolt of cloth generally horizontally above said table, means for pivoting said bracket means about a generally vertical axis, first and second power means mounted on said traveling frame, drive means connected to said first power means for propelling said traveling frame along said tracks responsive to operation of said first power means, means connecting said second power means to said adjusting means for raising and lowering said support member responsive to operation of said second power means, and independent control means for said first and second power means with said control means mounted on said apparatus adjacent to one side of said table.

of cloth reaches the end of the table, the stop switch is pushed to stop operation 'of the motor 86; the strip of cloth laid on the table is cut from the bolt 76; the forward and reverse switch 92 is actuated to permit return travel over the table; the latch 52 is unlatched while the bolt of cloth 76 is rotated, and the above procedure is repeated. It should be noted that during travel of the traveling frame 16 over the table, .the arm 58 and the hooks 64 and 66 form a yoke supporting the bolt of cloth 76 with the yoke maintained perpendicular to the tracks 12 and with the yoke adjustable along a direction, perpendicular to the tracks 1.2 to properly position the edges of the 2. In a room for cutting cloth into pieces for subsequent assembly into garments and the like, said room having a floor and a ceiling, the improved apparatus for making a pile of superposed layers of cloth from which pile a plurality of identical pieces of cloth can be cut simultaneously which comprises: an elongated table mounted on said floor and having a substantially'flat top and elongated side edges, a pair of elongated tracks mounted on said ceiling above said table with said tracks extending generally parallel to each other and to said edges of said table, a traveling frame having a plurality of wheels thereon riding on said tracks with said wheels supporting said frame above said table for longitudinal movement along the length of said table, a, support member, means connecting said support member to said frame in depending relation therefrom said means including means for preventing rotation of said support member with respect to said frame in a horizontal plane and adjusting means for raising and lowering said support means above said table as said frame moves along said'tracks, elongated bracket means having means for supporting an elongated bolt of cloth with the bolt of cloth and bracket means parallel to each other, means supporting said bracket member on said support member for rotation about a generally vertical axis, locking means interconnecting said support means and said bracket means for locking said bracket means in two alternative rotational positions where its length is perpendicular to said tracks, said bracket means comprising an elongated channel member rotatably mounted on said support member and engageable with said locking means when said channel member extends perpendicular to said tracks with said channel member having a non-circular cross-section and an elongated yoke having an arm portion of non-circular cross-section received in said channel member for non-rotatable longitudinal movement therein and a pair of hook portions on opposite ends of said arm portion for supporting a bolt of cloth parallel to said channel member, means for preventing rotation of said yoke with respect to said channel member, supplemental bracket means rigidly attached to said yoke and supporting below said hook portion a pair of spaced apart rollers generally parallel to said channel member, and releasable attachment means interconnecting said supplemental bracket means and said yoke for alternately attaching said means and yoke together rigidly and attaching said means and yoke together for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis substantially above said rollers.

33. In a room for cutting cloth into pieces for subsequent assembly into garments and the like, said room having a floor and a ceiling, the improved apparatus for making a pile of superposed layers of cloth from which pile a plurality of identical pieces of cloth can be cut simultaneously which comprises: an elongated table mounted on said floor and having a substantially flat top and elongated side edges, a pair of elongated tracks mounted on said ceiling above said table with said tracks extending generally parallel to each other and to said edges of said table, a traveling frame having a plurality of wheels thereon riding on said tracks with said wheels supporting said frame above said table for longitudinal movement along the length of said table, a sup port member, means connecting said support member to said frame in depending relation therefrom said means including means for preventing rotation of said support member with respect to said frame in a horizontal plane and adjusting means for raising and lowering said support means above said table as said frame moves along said tracks, elongated bracket means having means for supporting an elongated bolt of cloth with the bolt of cloth and bracket means parallel to each other, means supporting said bracket member on said support member for rotation about a generally vertical axis, locking means interconnecting said support means and said bracket means for locking said bracket means in two alternative rotational positions where its length is perpendicular to said tracks, said bracket means compris ing an elongated channel member rotatably mounted on said support member and engageable with said locking means when said channel member extends perpendicular to said tracks with said channel member having a non-circular cross-section and an elongated yoke having an arm portion of non-circular cross-section received in said channel member for non-rotatable longitudinal movement therein and a pair of hook portions on opposite ends of said arm portion for supporting a bolt of cloth parallel to said channel member, first and second power means mounted on said traveling frame, drive means connecting said first power means to at least one of said wheels for propelling said traveling frame along said track responsive to operation of said first power means, means connecting said second power means to said adjusting means for raising and lowering said support member responsive to operation of said second power means, and independent control means for said first and second power means with said control means for said first power means mounted on one end of said yoke.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 characterized further in that removable attaching means are mounted on said control means for said first power means for alternately attaching said control means to opposite ends of said yoke.

5. In a room for cutting cloth into pieces for subsequent assembly into garments and the like, said room having a floor and a ceiling, the improved apparatus for making a pile of superposed layers of cloth from which pile a plurality of identical pieces of cloth can be out simultaneously which comprises: an elongated table mounted on said floor and having a substantially flat top and elongated side edges, a pair of elongated tracks mounted on said ceiling above said table with said tracks extending generally parallel to each other and to said edges of said table, a traveling frame having a plurality of wheels thereon riding on said tracks with said wheels supporting said frame above said table for longitudinal movement along the length of said table, a support member, means connecting said support member to said frame in depending relation therefrom said means including means for preventing rotation of said support member with respect to said frame in a horizontal plane and adjusting means for raising and lowering said support means above said table as said frame moves along said tracks, elongated bracket means having means for supporting an elongated bolt of cloth with the bolt of cloth and bracket means parallel to each other, means supporting said bracket member on said support member for rotation about a generally vertical axis, locking means interconnecting said support means and said bracket means for locking said bracket means in two alternative rotational positions Where its length is perpendicular to said tracks, said means for attaching said support member to said traveling frame comprises first and second pairs of plates, the plates of each pair having adjacent ends pivotally connected together and remote ends pivotally connected to said support member and said traveling frame about parallel pivotal axes with said pivotal axes of the two pairs being generally perpendicular to each other, and power hoist means interconnecting said support member and said traveling frame for lifting and lowering the support member below the frame.

6. Apparatus for spreading cloth on a work table which comprises an elongated substanially fiat table, a pair of elongated tracks mounted above said table substantially parallel to each other and to said table, a traveling frame mounted on said tracks for longitudinal movement thereon above said table, a support member, means connecting said support member to said frame in depending relation from said frame with said means including adjustable means for raising and lowering said support member above said table as said frame moves along said tracks and bracing means interconnecting said support member and said frame for preventing rotation of said support member with respect to said frame in each horizontal plane as said support member is raised and lowered and bracket means attached to said support member for suspending a bolt of cloth thereon generally horizontally above said table, said bracing means including first and second pairs of plates, the plates of each pair having adjacent ends pivotally connected together and remote ends pivotally connected to said support member and said traveling frame about parallel pivotal axes with said pivotal axes of the two pairs being generally perpendicular to each other.

References flit-ed in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 506,535 OBryon Oct. 10, 1893 534,346 OBryon Feb. 19, 1895 2,476,759 Obedin July 19, 1949 2,544,951 De Lassus Mar. 13, 1951 2,912,180 Lindbelg NOV. 10, 

1. APPARATUS FOR SPREADING CLOTH ON A WORK TABLE WHICH COMPRISES AN ELONGATED SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT TABLE, A PAIR OF ELONGATED TRACKS, MEANS INDEPENDENT OF SAID TABLE FOR MOUNTING SAID TRACKS ABOVE SAID TABLE WITH SAID TRACKS EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO EACH OTHER AND TO SAID TABLE, A TRAVELING FRAME MOUNTED ON SAID TRACKS FOR LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT THEREON ABOVE SAID TABLE, A SUPPORT MEMBER, MEANS CONNECTING SAID SUPPORT MEMBER TO SAID FRAME IN DEPENDING RELATION FROM SAID FRAME WITH SAID MEANS INCLUDING ADJUSTING MEANS FOR RAISING AND LOWERING SAID SUPPORT MEMBER ABOVE SAID TABLE AS SAID FRAME MOVES ALONG SAID TRACKS, BRACKET MEANS ATTACHED TO SAID SUPPORT MEMBER FOR SUSPENDING A BOLT OF CLOTH GENERALLY HORIZONTALLY ABOVE SAID TABLE, MEANS FOR PIVOTING SAID BRACKET MEANS ABOUT A GENERALLY VERTICAL AXIS, 